


Walk of Shame

by RedBowBuddha



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: AU Day, Barrisco - Freeform, FlashVibe Week 2016, M/M, Walk Of Shame, flashvibe, meetugly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-22
Updated: 2016-08-22
Packaged: 2018-08-10 10:53:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7841932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedBowBuddha/pseuds/RedBowBuddha
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Romcoms are littered with a million prompts for meet-cutes. I wanted something a little more relatable for my life so I present to you: the meet-ugly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Walk of Shame

**Author's Note:**

> Beta'd by the fantastic and wonderful TurtleLady17! Thank you for putting up with my insanity :D

Barry woke with a start, sitting up in bed and frantically looking around. He didn't recognize the bedroom or, worse, the naked man next to him snoring obnoxiously.

He wracked his brain for any recollection of the night before: the bar, then the club, Iris leaving with her date, this guy coming up to him and making him laugh. Then everything else was a blur. Patches of dancing, then a handsy cab ride to the apartment. A frenzy of skin and sounds and rough touches.

Under the sheets he could feel he was naked, too, grimacing as he saw his clothes thrown all over the place. Scrubbing a hand over his face, Barry took a deep breath. Why do you keep doing this?, he chastised himself.

He sighed deeply, quietly and moved to creep out of bed. As he reached around for his clothes, pulling them on haphazardly, the burly man in bed grumbled and turned over. His eyes peeked open and a frown darkened his face when he saw Barry still in the room.

“What the hell are you still doing here?” The guy mumbled as he looked over to his phone.

Barry was affronted to say the least. He felt used and wanted to take the longest shower of his life after crawling into a deep, dark hole and hiding until this memory never appeared in his mind's eye again.

He tried to hold back tears as his mouth rambled, “I-I’m sorry. I just… fell asleep. It won’t happen again… obviously. Cause this was a one time thing… and, oh god.”

The man was ignoring him at first, tapping his phone absentmindedly. As Barry’s rambling got worse his gaze slid to Barry with a bored, glaring expression.

Barry hurriedly pulled his pants on, grabbing his shoes, keys, and phone and running out the door, hot tears already falling down his face.

Down the hallway of the apartment complex he hid in a stairwell for a moment and crouched to the ground, hugging his knees. He couldn't stop the tears from coming but he took deep slow breaths as his mind raced. Why do I keep doing this? None of these people care about me. This is not what I want. This is not who I am.

Barry huffed a long breath out and shakily stood up on his feet, hugging his arms close. Making his way to the street he cursed himself for wearing this ridiculous outfit: skinny jeans and a tight crop top t-shirt to show off his midriff. The pale skin of his hands were stained with stamps and his wrists heavy with paper bands from club hopping.

His stomach grumbled and his head pounded and all he could think about was water. Pure, nonalcoholic, hydrating water.

Barry's sneakered feet dragged zombie-like down the street to the nearest bodega.

~

Cisco awoke to pale arms snaking around his waist and holding him close. He peered over his shoulder and rolled his eyes. Of course... it's worse than I imagined. Cisco ran a hand through his disheveled hair before pulling himself out of bed and throwing on his clothes. He needed to get out of there.

“Where are you going lover boy?” The sleepy man said from the bed.

Cisco sighed dramatically as he turned to see the young man lying there, the sheet barely covering him with a wide smirk on his face.

“Hartley, I'm not your lover.” Cisco said sternly before searching for the rest of his things.

“You didn't seem to feel that way last night.” Hartley teased, sitting up a little more.

“I was drunk. And desperate. And lonely.” Cisco finally pulled on his second shoe, which he realized were his slippers from home, and shoved his phone in his pocket before turning back to Hartley. “This is never happening again.”

Hartley made an exaggerated frown. “But we were having so much fun. You're much less annoying when you're drunk and you look much better without your silly t-shirts on anyway.”

Cisco gaped at him. “You are such an ass. I'm deleting you from my life.” He made a show of taking out his phone and tapping frantically. “There goes your phone number. Facebook. Instagram. Snapchat! LinkedIn!”

“Don't forget Grindr,” Hartley chuckled to himself.

“Fuck you, man.” Cisco said, exhaustion already in his voice. He turned to go and heard Hartley come back with an “Already did!”

He wanted so badly to break something, to let out his frustration in a destructive way, but he kept his little bit of class and dignity and slammed the door roughly on his way out.

When he was outside he crossed his arms protectively and stalked over to the bodega on the corner with his fuzzy house slippers. His hair was disheveled and frizzy, his clothes rumpled, and his mind racing as he berated himself for actually doing what he did last night.

All he wanted now was to get the biggest bottle of Gatorade he could find and hide under his sheets forever.

He walked into the dark, cramped store, a tiny bell announcing his entrance. Standing at the counter directly in front of Cisco stood what he could only describe as a tall, freckled and handsome. Despite his horrid headache and strong desire to hide from the world, he couldn't help but feel curious about the guy, standing there uncomfortably in a crop top, showing off his pale toned abs.

Cisco walked through the aisles and to the refrigerated drink coolers, picking out the largest blue Gatorade. As he shuffled his way over to the counter he heard the taller guy pleading with the cashier.

“Come on! I'm good for it! I just lost my wallet I swear! I'll come back right after I find it!” Barry was met with nothing but a blank stare of ‘no’ from the big, bulky man.

The taller man huffed and hung his head, hugging himself tightly. Cisco could read the emotions on his face like a picture book; the poor guy was exhausted, visibly upset, and seemed hopeless. As he turned to leave, abandoning his liter of water on the counter, Cisco finally stepped up.

“I-I’ll get it for you.” He said quietly, stepping slightly closer to the taller man.

Barry looked up at the voice, apparently unaware there was an audience for the worst morning of his life. His face betrayed his emotions yet again; relief and thankfulness spread over him before he could politely refuse.

Seeing the little bit of joy the offer brought the poor guy made Cisco's lonely heart warm. He turned to the cashier and placed his own drink on the counter, “Could you also throw in two breakfast sandwiches?”

~

A few moments later the pair was walking away from the bodega down the street. Both of them exhausted and shuffling at a snail’s pace as the city seemed to still be sleeping on this early Sunday morning.

“Thank you.” Barry said quietly, gulping down his water and tearing into his food.

“Don’t mention it,” Cisco said, shrugging and gulping down his Gatorade. “Where you headed?”

Barry looked over and eyed the other guy before answering, “To be honest... I’m going to ride the bus for a few routes until my foster dad leaves for work. Then I’m sneaking back in and hiding from the light of day.”

Cisco couldn’t help a small chuckle at the response. “Mind if I ride with you?” He asked hesitantly. God, how desperate am I right now. Literally trying to hit on someone on my walk of shame. Cisco attempted to quiet his thoughts as he tried to enjoy being with good company for once.

Barry laughed a little, “That sound like a fun time to you?” They reached the bus stop and shared the small bench, Barry looking to Cisco with another analyzing stare. “Besides, I don’t even know your name. I don’t want a stranger knowing where I live.”

Cisco held out his hand, “I’m Cisco and I’m not crazy. Don’t worry, I won’t follow you home and Texas Chainsaw Massacre you or whatever.”

Barry pointed down, “Not crazy, huh? Do you always wear slippers or is it a day-of-rest kind of thing?”

“Ha, ha,” Cisco forced out, crossing his legs defiantly. “I’ll have you know I did this when I was drunk.” Foot in mouth much? He swore at himself. “Besides... I’m not the one in the crop top in October,” he couldn’t keep his eyes from wandering down Barry’s torso. The taller man hugged himself tighter at the mention of the cool air.

Cisco felt bad for pointing it out, given that the guy seemed uncomfortable anyway. He took off his jacket and offered it to him. When he was met with a shaking head, he draped it over the guy anyway. He had layers so he wasn’t freezing either.

Barry reluctantly pulled on the jacket and hugged it tight to his body, sighing into the warmth. The delightful smell of Cisco made his lips twitch into a small smile despite his exhaustion. “I’m Barry.”

Cisco smiled back and couldn’t help the warmth blooming in his chest. “So, rough night?”

Barry grimaced at the reminder, “How could you tell?”

“Well, you definitely don’t look like you’re headed to a sunrise yoga class or anything.” They both chuckled softly, “Also, you have a stamp from Oz on your forehead.” He said, pointing up at Barry’s face.

Horror and embarrassment played on his face, “Seriously? This whole time? You didn’t say anything?” Barry pulled out his dying phone and switched to selfie mode, trying to rub off the ink with his palm.

“I thought you knew!” He sighed as he watched Barry’s frantic smudging of the ink. “Ay, déjame.” He took a clean napkin from their grocery bag and poured a little of Barry’s water on it. He placed a firm hand on Barry’s jaw and leveled their lines of sight.

Barry watched as Cisco’s tongue stuck out the side of the mouth just slightly as he wiped with motherly ferocity at the smudge on his forehead. The cool water felt good on his head, though, not to mention the fact that he had this adorable savior of the morning inches from his face.

When Cisco was done he just smiled at Barry and tossed the napkin in his bag. Barry smiled back to him and then took out his phone again to double check. “Thanks,” he said, putting the dying technology away. “So, is there a story behind the shoes?” He couldn’t help but ask.

The bus came around the corner just then and they boarded, Barry forgetting then remembering again that he didn’t have any money. Cisco paid for them both and the pair picked two seats in the back.

Settling into their seats, they instinctively scooted down and rested their knees against the seat in front of them. They hunkered down, their shoulders brushing closely, their heads turned to one another as they spoke softly.

“I… I, uh, did something I regretted last night. The slippers are just a side effect of that.” Cisco said, running a hand through his hair.

Barry nodded in understanding, “You and me, both, then,” he pulled the jacket tighter around him. “Did she kick you out this morning?” Barry couldn’t help but wonder, so he gave Cisco an opportunity to share more.

“He, an old coworker. And, no. He actually wanted me to stay, but he’s just the worst. I can’t believe I even went there in the first place. He’s just such an ass to me; I was feeling lonely.” He shook his head angrily, staring off into space as his mind replayed the previous night’s events with a cringe.

Barry’s heart couldn’t help but flutter lightly at the knowledge of Cisco’s sexuality, but he felt horrible for how his night went. “We all make mistakes.” He looked the shorter man over again, “You seem like a really nice guy, I don’t know why anyone would be an ass to you.”

Cisco looked back to Barry and suddenly felt awful for airing his dirty laundry. He gave a small smile at the compliment, though. “Thanks. I just… I’ve been by myself for awhile. My only friend, Caitlyn, she moved and I work a lot. He’s the only person I knew and I was drunk… it was a mistake. But now I know I’ll never do that again.” Cisco had no idea why he kept spilling his guts to this guy. He just seemed so trustworthy and nice.

Barry frowned at what he said, “Well, if you don’t want to be by yourself, I’ve been told I’m good company.” He offered up the proposal hesitantly.

Cisco turned to him and his whole face cracked into the biggest smile Barry had ever seen; it warmed his heart like a bright, July sun. “You seriously want to hang out with me? After all the nonsense I just spurted and how ridiculous I look right now?”

Barry laughed, “You think you look ridiculous? Join the club, man.” They both chuckled; the bus then lurched the corner, sending Barry nearly flying into Cisco’s lap. When the dramatic turn was over, they both gave a small nervous laugh as Barry righted himself, but stayed leaning farther against Cisco.

Cisco looked to Barry again, “So, I told you mine, you tell me yours?”

Barry looked back and sighed, “I… um… don’t really know how to phrase this. But I’ve basically been sleeping around… too much lately.” His hands fidgeted in his lap. “I, um, It’s not really me, I guess. I can’t do it anymore. I just… I just want a relationship with meaning. Something that’ll last.” He looked to Cisco again, gripping his own hands tightly with nerves.

Cisco just looked back to him, nodding to show he was listening.

Barry continued, “I went home with this guy last night. He wasn’t even my type, I guess, if that’s a thing. But when I woke up this morning, he was pissed that I was still there. Sure, I’ve had guys usher me out the front door, but never has anyone been so rude to me. It made me feel… used. Awful.” He trailed off, his eyes welling up again at the thought.

Cisco felt horrible for him. One night stands weren’t his thing either, and they can really take a toll on a person. He reached over and grabbed Barry’s hand for reassurance. “How he treated you does not determine your worth, Barry. I’ve only known you for an hour, tops, but I can already tell you’re a kind person with a big heart. Whoever can’t take the time to appreciate that isn’t worth the effort.”

Barry looked to their clasped hands. He smiled softly as a tear rolled down his face. He wiped it off with his free hand and sniffled, looking back up to Cisco. “Thanks. That really means a lot. I guess, now all I want to do is shower and leave this night behind me.” He checked his watch, “Ugh, it’s another hour until my foster dad leaves for work.”

Cisco brightened at the possibility. “Well, if it’s not too weird to offer... you can always come to my place. You can shower there and if you want we can just hang out and watch TV while our brains try to rehydrate?”

Barry pondered the idea. His gaze went from his dying phone to his stupid wristbands, then their clasped hands and then finally up to Cisco’s smiling face.

“You know, that actually sounds amazing.” He said, smiling back to him.

Cisco’s face brightened even more, if that was possible. He then looked up and realized they were about to miss his stop. “Ah!” he yelled to himself, pulling the buzzer for the driver to stop.

The pair sprung up and hopped out, the bus whizzing away as quickly as it came. They moseyed down the sidewalk and into Cisco’s apartment.

“¡Joder!” He swore out loud as he saw the mess he left behind. A half eaten tub of ice cream, the handle of tequila about three quarters gone, and just things all over the place. Apparently when he drank he liked to tinker with stuff and never put anything back. “I’m sorry everything’s such a mess,” he apologized to Barry, looking around incredulously.

Barry just grinned and shook his head, “Don’t even worry about it. I can help you clean up?” He offered, already grabbing a few things and trying to find their place.

“No! No, no no! You’re a guest, put that down.” He took the things out of Barry’s hands and guided him to the bathroom. He sighed with relief when he saw the bathroom was nearly spotless. “Here,” he took down a towel and placed it on the counter. “If you want to change, my bedroom’s right there. I have a vast collection of screen printed Ts so just pick your favorite, I guess.” He gave a small smile, before turning and closing the bathroom door behind him.

Barry smiled to himself at the generosity and thoughtfulness of this new friend. He looked in the mirror and took in his appearance. This is weird… but nice. Barry already felt better than he had even thirty minutes ago and attributed all of that to Cisco. He looked down and noticed the armful of wristbands still sticking to his skin. One by one he popped them off and let them fall in the trashcan. With each one gone, he felt a little lighter, a little cleaner, shedding off these horrible past few months.

While Barry showered, Cisco hurriedly cleaned his place, fluffing his couch and pulling out his best blankets. He brought over a pitcher of water and crackers in case their stomachs decided to act up.

A few moments later and Barry came out of the bathroom, hair wet and finger combed, wearing one of Cisco’s shirts and a pair of his sleep pants.

“Nice choice,” Cisco said pointing to the shirt.

Barry looked down and giggled to himself, walking over and plopping down on the couch next to Cisco. “The tired tire? It was too perfect.” They smiled at one another as Cisco handed Barry the other side of the blanket.

“I really can’t thank you enough, man. I would probably still be walking around aimlessly and thirsty right now if not for you,” Barry said, placing a hand on Cisco’s with a small squeeze.

“And you would still have ink on your face, too.” Cisco pointed out, a sly smile creeping out. He inwardly congratulated himself for not freaking out at the fact they were now holding hands.

Barry grinned, “Oh, you got jokes? Okay, slippers, I’ll remember that.” He nudged Cisco’s shoulder with his own.

They both giggled and wordlessly put on a calming anime. The rest of the world passed by unnoticed by the pair as they tried to move past their difficult night and morning. They eventually fell asleep, Cisco lying back against the arm of the couch and Barry cuddling close to him and resting his head against his chest.

 


End file.
